‘I Want To Make A Statement’ – Bokang Masunyane Looks To Derail Ryohei Kurosawa With Statement Victory At ONE Fight Night 39
Momentum has a way of clarifying intention, and for Bokang “Little Giant” Masunyane, his next appearance inside the fabled walls of Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok is about proving his evolution as much as his ambition.
The South African standout is set to face Japan’s surging Ryohei Kurosawa at ONE Fight Night 39: Rambolek vs. Dayakaev on Prime Video on Friday, January 23, live in U.S. primetime.
Deep into training camp, Masunyane sees the matchup as a defining test not only against a respected opponent, but also against the expectations attached to his own career trajectory.
He said:
“I’m very excited because I’m fighting a very high-level fighter. His last fight was very impressive, but I feel good about this because this fight is for me to make a statement in my division that opens up an opportunity to fight for the title, and that’s what I want to do.”
Kurosawa’s recent run explains the confidence behind that assessment.
The Japanese star is known for his calm composure and wushu-influenced striking, as the former Pancrase and Shooto Champion blends movement-heavy offense with a grappling base shaped by judo. That combination has carried him to domestic success and a steady rise in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
The results back it up. The Chiba native has now built a 20-4 professional record, including six consecutive victories.
With that momentum in mind, Masunyane is aiming to halt the surge of his Japanese foe:
“I think he’s got a very good style of wushu.
“It’s very nice to fight a high-level athlete like that because it allows me to make a statement and show that I belong at the top of the division in ONE Championship and to obviously open up a title opportunity for me.”
Kurosawa arrives at ONE Fight Night 39 off an impressive promotional debut on the global stage, where he secured a dominant unanimous decision over Jayson Miralpez at ONE Friday Fights 124 last September.
Masunyane paid close attention to that performance, and after studying the matchup, he believes the contrasting styles could work in his favor.
“Little Giant” offered:
“I can tell he’s a very calm striker. He’s very fit, and from what I saw, he fights on his back foot, which is good for me because I like fighting on my front foot.
“He has very good wrestling, and I think that comes from his judo background, if I’m not mistaken. With my wrestling style, I believe I’ll be able to take advantage of that.”
Masunyane Adds New Dimensions To His Game Against Kurosawa
After a recent challenging stretch inside the world’s largest martial arts organization, Bokang Masunyane knows his clash with Ryohei Kurosawa at ONE Fight Night 39 represents a chance to reset his momentum and show tangible growth.
For much of his run, the South African has been defined by his suffocating pressure — explosive entries, relentless pace, and a wrestling-heavy approach forged from a young age.
That identity remains intact, but it will not be the only weapon he brings on Friday, January 23. The 31-year-old plans to show another layer of his game:
“I’ve got a very strong wrestling background. I’ve been wrestling from a very young age, from eight years old. It’s been ingrained within me. I use my wrestling in an explosive way to win fights.
“Lately, I’ve been working a lot on my striking for the last year and a half, and I feel like the striking has improved so much more. I feel like this is the style that’s going to get me to the top.”
That continuous evolution became impossible to ignore when Masunyane delivered one of the most memorable finishes of his career — a sudden, perfectly timed high kick that stopped former ONE Strawweight MMA World Title challenger Rene Catalan in just 37 seconds.
It was a reminder that while his wrestling creates control, his expanding striking arsenal can end fights decisively.
Against Kurosawa, Masunyane expects a layered contest rather than a one-dimensional battle.
The South African explained:
“I believe with my striking that I’ve learned lately, it actually opens up a bigger game for me, and I want fans to expect an electric fight, an explosive fight, and a very entertaining fight at the end of the day.
“In my ideal scenario, it’s me finding a knockout between the first two rounds, most likely the second. I think that’s the fight that puts a statement on the rest of the division.”
Stylistically, Masunyane believes the matchup encourages him to press forward and impose his pace. Kurosawa often operates off the back foot, relying on timing and precision. It’s an approach Masunyane sees as an opening rather than a deterrent.
And this time, he is prepared to finish the fight in a different way.
Masunyane added:
“I feel like it’ll probably be my right hand this time because I’ve been working a lot on hand striking, being precise and using my power.
“Usually, I use my power for wrestling, and this time I’m trying to use that power more in my striking. So probably a right hand.”
